OCTOBER 31, 1950

NEW YORK, Monday—An amusing coincidence in the names of my guests this week was somewhat confusing! Mr. and Mrs. Harold White of Australia went to Hyde Park Friday evening for the weekend. Mr. White heads the federal library at Canberra where they are building a very interesting collection of books and materials on America. He spent all day Saturday and some time on Sunday in the memorial library at Hyde Park. He told me that so much of the material would be very valuable to historians of the future because there are many trivial as well as important things which, when put together, give a picture of the life of a period.

On Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Quentin Whyte from South Africa came to lunch. It did seem odd that from such distant areas of the world people of the same name, with only a slight variation in the spelling should appear on the same weekend.

I also had the pleasure of having Professor Rene Cassin with us for Saturday night. He is always an interesting and delightful guest. He is head of the Council of State in France and an eminent jurist. He has come over to be with us in Committee #3 during the period of the discussion of the Covenant of Human Rights because he serves on the Human Rights Commission as the member from France, and the question of human rights is very dear to his heart.

Saturday afternoon I had a meeting and tea in the interests of Barnard College at the request of our Rector's wife, Mrs. Gordon Kidd. Dean McIntosh came to speak, which I felt was a privilege for all of us.

In the evening I spoke at the international meeting of our Hyde Park Lions Club. So, the day was a busy one.

I went to church on Sunday with my grandson and his wife, and revelled in not having to hurry and in being able to spend the afternoon in the country. I had done all that was necessary on my television show, having spent an evening last week doing my share of the show on film.

When I got to New York Sunday evening, my son told me the experiment had gone extremely badly and so I will not be able to enjoy that leisurely Sunday afternoon feeling again! I can go to church in the country and just get to New York City in time for the television show and that is what I shall have to do in the future.

I enjoy the television show very much, however, So, in spite of the fact that I sometimes wish it might be at another hour and on another day, nevertheless if it accomplishes what I hope for I shall be content. My hope is to make many people feel that they have seen some of the people they read about. And by seeing them, I hope they become better acquainted with them and understand better some subjects that had not before been very clear. Of course, when I am not at General Assembly meetings I will be in the country so much of the time that coming down on Sundays probably will be very pleasant.

I also want to report on the fact that someone wrote me the other day they thought it was a shame that I should be made to work on radio! It amused me a little because no one could make me do anything if I did not really enjoy it and think it worthwhile. Both radio and television are wonderful media for giving people a wider understanding of the problems that face this nation. My own feeling is that this nation cannot carry its role in history unless each individual citizen understands his personal responsibility and is willing to play his part. Therefore, it follows that I would feel a deep interest in anything I thought might be of some little service in helping all of us to take a more intelligent part in our daily citizenship.

E. R.

(WORLD COPYRIGHT, 1950, BY UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART PROHIBITED.)